Democrat Luby Plans Run For House In 5th District

Democrat Luby Plans Run For House In 5th District

November 09, 1993|By JACK EWING; Courant Staff Writer

Thomas S. Luby, a Meriden Democrat who is majority leader in the state House of Representatives, formally announced Monday that he is running for the U.S. House on a platform of deficit reduction, efficient government and economic stability.

Luby, a 41-year-old former prosecutor who is regarded as a moderate, acknowledged to family and supporters gathered at Meriden City Hall that he faces a difficult challenge in trying to unseat 5th District Rep. Gary Franks, a Republican.

Luby faces a competitor in his own party, state Sen. James H. Maloney of Danbury, who has a head start in fund-raising and organization. He runs in a district that, at least in recent years, has tended to elect Republicans, and where the political center is probably closer to Waterbury, the district's largest city.

Speaking to reporters after his announcement, Luby laughed off the difficulties. He said he has plenty of time to campaign before party nominating conventions next summer. And he said he does not think any region dominates the district, which also includes the Naugatuck Valley and parts of Fairfield County.

"The race is wide open," said Luby, who began planning his campaign several months ago, and had made it clear he would run.

A number of fellow legislators attended the announcement, and Luby was introduced by state Rep. Thomas D. Ritter, D-Hartford, speaker of the House of Representatives. Ritter said Luby, as majority leader, helped rebuild a legislature shattered by budget battles.

Now voters should "let him go to Washington, to an institution that ... needs the same kind of rebuilding," Ritter said.

Luby, a graduate of Yale University and the University of Connecticut law school, introduced no radically different programs in his announcement speech. He said his priorities would be to combat the federal deficit and promote more efficient and responsive government. He said American schools should be the best in the world, and that citizens should be able to feel safe in their homes.

He said he wants to restore economic stability, so that people are not afraid that "our parents' American Dream could become our children's American Myth."

But he said that the country needs risk-takers, and promised that "I am willing to make those difficult choices." He told listeners that they, too, would need to work hard to rebuild America.

Luby also displayed his sometimes self-effacing humor. After Ritter's effusive introduction, Luby said, "I just want to know who you were talking about." He joked that his staff scheduled the event for 5 p.m. because they know that "in order to keep Tom brief, you schedule it just before dinner."

Maloney, the only other Democrat who is definitely in the race, said earlier Monday that he has a six-month lead on Luby.

"My view is that Tom's making a rather substantial mistake getting in so late," Maloney said.

Maloney said he has the endorsement of party regulars and constituent groups such as organized labor. Luby angered labor leaders this year when he supported workers' compensation reform, which lowered benefits for injured workers.

In a possible jab at Maloney during his speech Monday, Luby railed against "pork barrel politics."

"I think the paralysis caused by competing special interests has a lot to do with our country's lack of economic progress," he said